Teeth cleaning unit



Oct. 27, 1953 M. BouLlcAULT TEETH CLEANING UNIT Filed Feb. 9, 1949 Patented Oct. 27, 1953 UNITED STATES rATENT OFFICE TEETH CLEANING UNIT Marcel Boulicault, St. Louis, Mo. Application February 9, 1949, Serial No. 75,335

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improved teeth cleaning units and more particularly to a teeth cleaning assembly containing a toothbrush and all accessories for the proper care of the teeth assembled together in a compact and attractive unit which may be conveniently carried in the pocket or purse. This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 664,614, filed April 24, 1946 now Patent No. 2,468,783 and my copending application Ser. No. 612,763, filed August 27, 1945 now Patent No. 2,468,732.

This invention relates to an improved teeth cleaning unit and more particularly to a brush cleaning assembly wherein the toothbrush and all accessories necessary for the proper care of teeth are assembled together in a compact and attractive unit which may be conveniently carried in the pocket or purse.

Proper care of the teeth requires daily brushing and cleaning of the teeth which should be done after each meal. Such preferential care cannot be given to the teeth by most individuals since the necessary implements, such as the tooth brush and accessories used by such individual, are not ordinarily carried by the individual or otherwise are not conveniently available or accessible throughout the day.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide a teeth cleaning assembly which presents in one compact, convenient and attractive unit, a tooth brush with the necessary complement of dentifrice contained in a holder sanitarily housed within a sealed and dustproof compartment in the handle section of the unit. A tubular cover section, detachably secured to one end or the handle section, provides a sanitary and dustproof compartment for housing and containing the brush bristles. i

The cover section may also be provided with a compartment wherein moisture absorbent and disinfectant material may be contained which serves to extract the moisture carried on the used brush and maintain the bristles at all times in thoroughly disinfected condition. The unit, including the toothbrush and teeth cleaning accessories, is assembled in a compact and sturdy container of such size and form that it may conveniently be carried in the pocket or purse at all times. The unit can be molded into various attractive forms from available plastic materials, and is so constructed that the bristles are fully protected from dirt, contamination and damage, and maintained at all times in thoru oughly sanitary conditions. The teeth cleaning unit assembled in accordance with this invention encourages and makes convenient the proper cleaning and care of the teeth.

In order that a clearer understanding of this invention may be had, reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is an elevational view of the fully as sembled unit showing certain parts broken away to reveal certain structural details thereof.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of all the various parts which comprise the improved teeth cleaning unit showing the cover part and the dentifrice holder detached from the handle section; and

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross sectional View 0f the dentifrice holder as the same appears when viewed along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Similar reference characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawing and specication.

The improved teeth cleaning unit made in accordance with this invention comprises a brush section l permanently fixed or detachably secured to one end of a hollow handle section 2. A hollow cover section 3 contains a brush` compartment a designed to receive and include the brush section I. The lower end of the cover section 3 is detachably secured to the handle section at a point adjacent the base of the brush section. The hollow handle section 2 contains a compartment b designed to contain a. dentifrice holder li which telescopes into the hollow handle section The lower end of the denti-- frice holder is provided with a head portion 5 designed to be detachably secured to the end of the hollow handle section 2 and provides a elo sure therefor. Theupper end of the removable brush containing section 3 is closed by a dome shaped cap 'l having a compartment d designed to contain an agent s for drying and sterilizing the brushbristles when contained in the cover section. 3.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 2. the brush section I comprises a stem portion I0 formed of a suitable plastic to whichtwo or more rows of brush bristles Il are firmly secured. The base end of the stem portion 2 is provided with a plug portion l2 designed to snugly flt into one end of the tubular handle section 2. The plug portion l2 may be provided with external threads i3 which thread into corresponding internal threads provided at one end of the hollow handle section 2. The brush section I` can thusbe removed when worn and a new brush section substituted. The stem I 0 is provided with Van teeth may be variously and conveniently arranged as indicated, and maintained in a fresh and sterile condition for individual and personal use. The dentifrice, contained in the holder above described, is fully protected against contamination in the dentifrice compartment of the hollow handle section. This improved teeth cleaning unit, having associated therewith all the necessary teeth cleaning accessories, makes convenient and encourages the proper care of the teeth.

While certain novel features of the invention have been disclosed herein and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit of this invention What is claimed is:

1. A dentifrice holder designed to be associated with the tubular handle section of a teeth cleaning unit, said holder comprising a head section having a closure portion designed to provide a closure for the open end of said tubular handle section and a knob portion rotatably mounted on said closure portion, said closure portion having an external shoulder designed to abut the open end of said tubular handle section to form a substantially flush joint between the handle section and head section, a tubular casing extendingfrom said closure portion adapted to be housed within said tubular handle section, a plunger within said casing having a body portion and a head portion, said head portion presenting a relatively flat and unbroken dentifrice contacting surface and a smooth lar casing presenting a smooth walled dentriflce container section designed to snugly receive the head portion of said plunger and a lower section designed to contain the body portion of said plunger, a primary closure for the open end of said dentifrice containing section through which the same may be filled with dentifrice, said primary closure having a dentifrice discharge opening, a secondary closure for said discharge openmg. Iportion of said plunger for reciprocating the plunger in said casing whereby the flat unbroken face of the head portion thereof may be operated to forcibly eject the dentifrice through the discharge opening in said primary closure, means associated with the body portion of said plunger and the lower section of said tubular casing for retaining said reciprocable plunger against rotation, and means connecting said knob portion to said stud element.

2. A teeth cleaning unit comprising a hollow tubular handle section having an open end, a brush section extending from the other end of said tubular handle section, and a dentifrice holder adapted to be detachably secured to the open end of the handle section, said holder comprising a head section having a closure portion providing a closure for the open end of said tubular handle section and a knob portion rotatably mounted on said closure portion, said closure portion having an external shoulder designed to abut the open end of said tubular handle section to form a substantially flush joint between the handle section and head section, a tubular casing extending from said closure portion adapted to be housed within said tubular handle section, a plunger within said casing having a body portion and a head portion, said head periphery, said tubuf a stud element terminating within the body portion presenting a relatively flat and unbroken dentifrice contacting surface and a smooth periphery, said tubular casing presenting a smooth walled dentifrice container section designed to snugly receive the head portion of said plunger and a lower section designed to contain the body portion of said plunger, a contracted dentifrice discharge opening at the upper end of said dentifrice container section, a stud element terminating within the body portion of said plunger for reciprocating the plunger in said casing whereby the iiat unbroken face of the head portion thereof may be operated to forcibly eject the dentifrice through said discharge opening, means associated with the body portion of said plunger and the lower section of said tubular casing for retaining said reciprocable plunger against rotation, and means connecting said knob portion to said stud element.

3. A teeth cleaning unit comprising a hollow tubular handle section having an open end, a brush section extending from the other end of said tubular handle section, and a dentifrice holder adapted to be detachably secured to the open end of the handle section, said holder comprising a head section having a closure portion provided a closure for the open end of said tubular handle section and a knob portion rotatably mounted on said closure portion, said closure portion having an external shoulder designed to abut the open end of said tubular handle section to form a substantially flush joint between the handle section and head section, a tubular casing extending from said closure portion adapted to be housed within said tubular handle section, a plunger within said casing having a body portion and a head portion, said head portion presenting a relatively iiat and unbroken dentifrice contacting surface and a smooth periphery, said tubular casing presenting a smooth walled dentifrice container section designed to snugly receive the head portion of said plunger and a lower section designed to contain the body portion of said plunger, a primary closure for the open end of said dentifrice container section through which the same is filled with dentifrice, said primary closure having a dentifrice discharged opening, a secondary closure for said discharge opening, a stud element terminating Within the body portion of said plunger for reciprocating the plunger in said casing whereby the flat unbroken face of the head portion thereof may be operated to forcibly eject the dentifrice through the discharge opening in said primary closure, means associated with the body portion of said plunger and the lower section of said tubular casing for retaining said reciprocable plunger against rotation, and means connecting said knob portion to said stud element.

MARCEL BOULICAULT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 793,259 Wilson June 27, 1905 809,419 Belcher Jan. 9, 1906 1,339,265 Levitan May 4, 1920 1,380,246 Peters May 31, 1921 1,692,096 Scott Nov. 20, 1928 1,702,147 Zearing Jr., et al. Feb. 12, 1929 2,038,057 Peters Apr. 21, 1936 2,146,847 Poole Feb. 14, 1939 2,399,660 Boulicault May 7, 1946 

